Presented by Birhan Abdulkadir, Alemayehu Dhabessa, Tamiru Meleta, Assefa Ta’a, Kindu Mekonnen and Peter Thorne at the Legume SELECT Annual Project Meeting Via Zoom, 27 January 2021

1. Better lives through livestock
Legume SELECT-Ethiopia:
Progress, Achievements and Challenges in 2020
Birhan Abdulkadir*, Alemayehu Dhabessa**, Tamiru Meleta**, Assefa Ta’a**, Kindu Mekonnen*, Peter Thorne*
*International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)
**Oromia Agricultural Research Institute (IQQO)
Legume SELECT Annual Project Meeting
27 January 2021
Via Zoom

2. 2
LS Work Packages (WP)
WP1. ‘Big Data’ and Tool Development
• WP1.1: focuses, brings together and creates an accessible database on
legume productivity, quality and use across SSA
• WP1.2: builds on and further develops the existing prototype
LegumeCHOICE decision support framework into a robust tool based on
reliable data
WP2. Validation of benefits for legume niches
• WP2.1: Characterization of soil properties, root traits and BNF potential of
legume classes
• WP2.2: To establish quantitative importance and mechanisms of legume
contributions to soil C and N stocks and nutrient supply.
• WP 2.3: To quantify BNF, nutrient- and water-use efficiency in a range of
legume-based systems to determine the robustness of trait-soil-
management relationships
WP3. Moving into practice at scale
• WP 3.1: Modeling, forecasting, targeting, and scenario testing
• WP 3.2: Partner engagement, capacity development and scaling

3. 3
LS Implementation Sites in Ethiopia
Digga Sinana
Distance from AA (km) 352 460
Altitude (m) 1200-2300 1700-3100
Rainfall pattern Mono-modal Bi-modal
Rainfall (mm) 2080 930
Temp. mean (oC) 18 18
Main farming system Maize-teff-finger
millet- based crop-
livestock mixed
farming
Wheat-faba bean-
based crop-livestock
mixed farming
Digga
Sinana

4. 4
WP1.1 RHoMIS Survey

5. 5

6. 6
Crops grown at Digga & Sinana

7. 7

8. 8

9. 9

10. 10
• Legume CHOICE Tool Application Report
published on CGSpaces
(https://hdl.handle.net/10568/109580)
Abdulkadir, B., Birhanu, T., Meleta, T., Dabessa, A., Duncan, A., Muoni, T., Mekonnen,
K., Ta’a, A. and Thorne, P. 2020. Using the Legume CHOICE tool to support legume use
on smallholder farms at Digga and Sinana woredas in western and southeastern
Ethiopia. ILRI Project Report. Nairobi, Kenya: International Livestock Research Institute
(ILRI)
• Raw data & support info are available in LS-
SharePoint Folder.
WP1.2 LC Tool

11. 11
WP2.3: On-farm trials
Legume name DIGGA SINANA
Bush bean X
Climbing bean X
Groundnut X
Soybean X
Faba bean X
Field pea X X
# of trials
established (DT)
12 12
Performances of demonstrated food legume varieties at Digga and Sinana in 2020 cropping season.

12. 12
• Two seasons’ samples organized and will be
sent till end of February.
• Simplified export procedure for soil and
destructed biomass samples;
• Data inventories into ODK then LS server.
• Soil and Crop management
• Feedback monitoring
WP2.3: Sample collections & processing

13. 13
WP3.1 Feedback Monitoring
Done at Digga (n=11)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
bush_bean groundnut soybean bush_bean climbing_bean field_pea
Arjo_Qonnan_Bula Jirata
Digga
Legumes planted
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
Arjo_Qonnan_Bula Jirata
Digga
Harvested seeds intended uses
Consume Sell Save to replant in same plot Save to replant in extended plot
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
bush_bean groundnut soybean bush_bean climbing_bean field_pea
Arjo_Qonnan_Bula Jirata
Digga
Legume performances
Better Same Worse

14. 14
• Through:
• DTs,
• Provision of inputs/seeds,
• Exposures on field days/evaluations, trainings.
• Periodical meetings
• Improved seeds:
• Sinana (30 kg of FB/FP for 30 farmers)
• Digga (20 kg of GN/SB/CB for 15 farmers)
• Two Mini-field days:
• Digga: 42 (30M+12F)
• Sinana: 25 (22M+3F)
WP3.2: Engagement and Scaling

15. 15
Challenges
• COVID-19 related travel restrictions
• Political unrest
• Communication barriers

16. 16
Way Forwards
• Produce Eth-RHoMIS report
• Biomass and soil samples export
• Communicate LS products in wider forums

17. THANK YOU